Weft storage device

ABSTRACT

A weft storage device for shuttleless looms having a stationary weft supply which includes a diverting member for separating a source of air under pressure into two streams within which a loop of weft yarn can be formed and temporarily stored for subsequent insertion into a shed formed by cooperating warp threads.

[111 3,738,396 June 12, 1973 United States Patent 1 Lussier [54] WEFT STORAGE DEVICE FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS lnvemo" Ephrem Lussiel', Milford, Mass- 2,037,158 4/1970 Germany 139 122 Assignee: North American Rockwell Primary Examinerl-lenry S. Jaudon Attorney-John R. Bronaugh, Daniel H. Du Floyd S. Levison Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa. Mar. 27, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 238,041

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[22] Filed:

ABSTRACT A weft storage device for shuttleless looms having a stationary weft supply which includes a diverting member for separating a source of air under pressure into two streams within which a loop of weft yarn can be formed and temporarily stored for subsequent insertion into a shed formed by cooperating warp threads.

n i m H m R .n 3; m7 C l n 2 S .1 e n m mm.) W a .1 a e I f 8 mr. R a e mu f. C d s m UhF 11]] 1 2 8 6 555 5 [ll 11 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 3D 3,580,444 5/1971 Mullekom........................... 226/118 1 WEFT STORAGE DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to shuttleless looms wherein weft yarn is drawn from a stationary supply for insertion. More particularly, it pertains to a means for providing a measured uninterrupted supply of weft by sequentially drawing the weft from a measuring device and temporarily storing it with an improved storage device in readiness for presentation to tYe means for inserting it into a shed formed by warp threads immediately upon completion of the previous pick cycle.

Fluid jet looms to which the present invention is applicable are of two general types and utilize either compressed air or liquid under pressure to insert a premeasured length of weft yarn, drawn from a fixed source, into a shed formed by warp threads.

Such looms include a nozzle device which in timed relation to the weaving cycle releases a jet of air or liquid that engages the free end of a pre-measured length of weft to carry it through the shed. Additionally it is customary to temporarily and sequentially store a premeasured length of weft just prior to its insertion into a warp shed as a loop within devices such as a suction tube or the like. To assure a smooth and trouble free withdrawal of the weft from such devices, the loop of weft stored therein must be controlled so as to maintain a separation between the lengths of yarn defining the stored loop.

Known types of weft storage devices which rely on the suction of a vacuum source to draw and temporarily store a pre-measured length of weft into a tube member or the like do not provide what is considered an effective amount of control on the weftprior to presenting it for insertion into a warp shed.

Spun yarn has a natural tendency, if not held under sufficient tension, to kink and twist upon itself and when an attempt is made to straighten it, the entanglement increases, oftenresulting in breakage of the yarn.

With the source of vacuum or suction being spaced form the wefts points of entrance and exit from the tube, the forces at these points are naturally less and are frequently insufficient to prevent kinking and twisting of high twist yarns. Additionally with the known types of storage devices the single suction flow within the storage tube is not, on particular types of high twist yarns, strong enough to maintain a separation in the loop of weft being drawn therein and to prevent its kinking and twisting.

The improved weft storage device according to the present invention has corrected the weft control problems described above by providing a device in which the lengths of weft defining the stored loop are'maintained in separation by two distinct air streams. One of a the air streams controls that portion of the stored loop entering the device and the other controls that portion which extends to the so-called outlet port of said device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improved weft storage device of the present invention is provided with a source of air under pressure that is directed into a diverting means which separates the pressurized air into two distinct streams. A weft inlet port communicates with one of the air streams and a weft outlet port communicates with the other of the two air streams. A blade member disposed intermediate the two air streams and being operatively associated with the diverting means is effective in maintaining said streams in positive separation whereby the two lengths of weft defining a stored loop are each controlled by air streams individual thereto.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved weft storage device for shuttleless looms of the fluid jet type.

A further object is to provide a weft storage device that is not subject to lint and waste accumulation and which will maintain a pre-measured loop of weft within the limits of a predetermined area without enclosing said area. I

A further and more specific object is to provide an improved weft storage device having means for maintaining a pre-measured loop of weft in positive separation and under sufficient tension to prevent its kinking and twisting upon itself.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more fully apparent by reference to the appended claims and as the following detailed description proceeds in reference to the figures of drawing wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a fluid jet type shuttleless loom showing the weft storage device according to the invention applied thereto;

FIG. 2. is an elevational view and partially in section of the weft storage device shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an end view of the weft storage device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing wherein only as much of a fluid jet shuttleless loom structure is depicted as is necessary for a complete understanding of the invention, there is shown a portion of the left hand loomside at 10 having a support arm 11 suitably attached thereto on which is carried a weft measuring device in the form of a capstan 12.

The weft yarn is identified by numeral 13 and is drawn from a fixed source of supply through suitable guide elements neither of which are shown and then to the continuously rotating capstan 12 on which several wrappings of said weft 13 are made. From the capstan 12 the weft 13 extends into the weft storage device according to the invention, generally identified by numeral 14 which will be more fully described hereinafter.

When the weft 13 is drawn from the storage device, it passes through a. thread guide 15 then beneath an intermittent thread clamping device 16, which is caused to function in timed relation to the weaving cycle. From this clamping device 16 the weft 13 passes through a nozzle 17 by which it is propelled into and through an open shed formed by warp yarns 18.

The usual form of reed 19 serves to beat the inserted weft into the fell to form fabric 20 which is held at its so called reeded width by temples 21 (one only shown in FIG. 1).

Referring now to the weft storage device 14 and particularly to FIG. 2 which shows this device in detail, there is shown a head member 22 within which a diverting means in the form of an apertu-red insert 23 is mounted. This insert 23 includes a pair of spaced apertures 24 and 25 and the ends thereof within the head member 22 are disposed so as to receive and devide a single source of air under pressure into two separate streams. The air flows in the direction of the indicating arrows 26 and 27 in FIG. 2. The head member is necked as at 28 and is connected at this point to any suitable source of air under pressure by means of a feed line 29.

The head member 22 includes an integrally formed boss 30 on each side therof which bosses have appropriate openings or passages 31 extending therethrough which are in alignment with openings 32 (one only shown in FIG. 2) in the sides of the insert 23 and which communicate with the apertures 24'and 25. The inner surfaces of openings 31 are tapped to provide for threadable engagement with a pair of bushing elements 33. The purpose of the bushing elements is to provide a passage extending from the exterior of the head member 22 to each of the apertures 24 and 25 provided in the insert 23. With the inner ends of the bushing elements 33 communicating with the apertures 24 and 25 they form inlet and outlet port means through which the weft yarn 13 can enter and exit from the storage device. To maintain a positive separation of the airstreams formed by apertures 24 and 25 there is provided a baffle plate or blade member 34 which is disposed in operative association with the insert 23. The preferred embodiment as illustrated in the Pigs. of drawing shows this-blade member 34 depending from a centrally disposed slot 35 in the insert member within which its upper end is adapted to assemble by any suitable means. The blade member 34 is located intermediate the air streams formed by apertures 24 and 25 and extends in a plane parallel with the direction of flow of said streams.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lower end of the blade member 34 is forked, as at 36, and provides a guide surface for the weft yarn 13 when a stored loop is withdrawn from the device for insertion into a warp shed. When a stored loop of weft is withdrawn, that remaining within the device is caused to assume a position as shown in FIG. 2 wherein saidweft extends through the apex of the forked portion 36 and is in position to be acted upon by the airstreams when the subsequent cycle is repeated.

To summarize the operation, the head member 22 and its insert 23 are adapted-to successively receive from the capstan l2 predetermined lengths of weft,

each of which are suitable for a single pick in the woven material shown at 20.

The weft is drawn into the storage device through that bushing 33 which defines the inlet port and by means of the separate airstreams formed by apertures 24 and 25, the weft is caused to assume the form of a loop 37 as shown in FIG. 1.

To maintain a positive separation of the airstreams a blade member is disposed intermediate said streams and that portion of the loop extending into the storage device is caused to remain within one of the airstreams while that portion extending toward the exit of said device is caused to remain within the other of the two airstreams.

The pair of spaced streams of air produced by the apertures 24 and 25 are effective in applying a sufficient amount of tension upon the weft so as to maintain the loop thereof in positive separation while temporarily held within the storage device.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the invention and the appended claims.

1 I claim 1. A device for storing successively predetermined lengths of weft yarn to be inserted by jets of a selected liquid or gas into sheds formed between cooperating warp yarns, said device comprising;

diverting means separating a source of air under pressure into two streams within which a loop of weft yarn can be formed and stored for insertion by the jets;

means on said diverting means defining inlet and outlet port means through which the weft yarn can enter and exit from the storage streams respectively, and a blade member operatively associated with said diverting means for maintaining the streams in positive separation.

2. The device for storing lengths of weft according to claim 1 wherein said blade member includes a forked end portion for guiding the weft yarn to a position substantially central thereof when drawn through the outlet port for insertion by the jets. 

1. A device for storing successively predetermined lengths of weft yarn to be inserted by jets of a selected liquid or gas into sheds formed between cooperating warp yarns, said device comprising; diverting means separating a source of air under pressure into two streams within which a loop of weft yarn can be formed and stored for insertion by the jets; means on said diverting means defining inlet and outlet port means through which the weft yarn can enter and exit from the storage streams respectively, and a blade member operatively associated with said diverting means for maintaining the streams in positive separation.
 2. The device for storing lengths of weft according to claim 1 wherein said blade member includes a forked end portion for guiding the weft yarn to a position substantially central thereof when drawn through the outlet port for insertion by the jets. 